CO885-24 — Page 128

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

mimic.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

Names of German and Austrian Prizes.—In a telegram dated the 22nd September the Secretary of State desired that the names of any German and Austrian vessels detained subsequent to the date of the telegrams of the 9th and 14th August should be communicated to him, as well as the names of any vessels brought in by His Majesty's naval forces. The necessary instructions to all officers concerned were issued. There have, however, been no prizes since the detention of the four German steamers mentioned in the telegram of the 9th August.

Conditional Contraband.-A telegram from the Secretary of State dated the 23rd September contained a list of articles which, notwithstanding anything con- tained in Section 28 of the Declaration of London, were, in accordance with a Royal "conditional contraband." A Gazette Extra- Proclamation, to be treated as ordinary, No. 93, dated the 29th September, gave public notice of the fact, and set forth the list of the articles.

Prize Courts. In a telegram dated the 24th September the Secretary of State gave a correction of his telegram of the 19th September, relating to the definition to be put upon certain words in Article 34 of the Declaration of London. The Attorney-General took due note of the correction.

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Connected Account of action in the Colony since the "Precautionary Stage' of the War-A telegram from the Secretary of State dated the 26th September contained the request in accordance with which the present memorandum is prepared.

Benstaay, Rotterdam.-A telegram from the Secretary of State dated the 29th September, referring to his telegram of the 28th August, desired that no foodstuffs should be shipped to the firm of J. C. Benstaay, Rotterdam. The necessary action was at once taken to prevent any export to this firm, but no instance has occurred of any person desiring to consign any goods to it.

Export of Raw Rubber.-Further restrictions upon the export of raw rubber were ordered in a telegram from the Secretary of State dated the 29th September. Gazette Extraordinary No. 94. of the 1st October. contained the necessary notification.

Chartering of Prizes.-The Secretary of State telegraphed on the 3rd October giving permission for three "prizes"-namely, the "Sandakan," "Chow Tai," and Ranee"-being requisitioned for the purpose of keeping open trade with British North Borneo and Labuan. They were chartered to the Straits Steamship Company for this purpose, under conditions laid down by the Secretary of State.

List of Defensively-Armed Merchant Vessels.-A Secret circular from the Secretary of State, dated the 2nd September, was received on the 9th October. It contained a list of defensively-armed merchant vessels, and to a certain extent superseded the instructions in the despatch of the 10th August which had been received in the Colony on the 15th September.

Power of Governor to Prohibit Export of Articles.-A Secret despatch dated the 9th the 2nd September was received from the Secretary of State on October. It contained copies of an Order of His Majesty in Council of the 28th August, 1914, amending the Secret Order in Council of the 28th October, 1896, by conferring upon the Governor the power to prohibit the export of any article. Gazette Extraordinary No. 99, of the 10th October, published the amending Order in Council. It will be noted that, before the date of the publication of this Order in Council, the Government had prohibited the export of animals suited for pack, saddle, and draught purposes, and the export to certain places in Europe of raw rubber.

Internment and Treatment of Enemy Subjects.-A Confidential despatch, dated the 29th August, was also received on the 9th October. It contained instruc- tions relating to the internment and treatment of enemy subjects, and enclosed The neces- copies of the Imperial Act entitled the "Aliens Restriction Act, 1914." sary instructions were communicated to all officers concerned with the treatment of prisoners of war.

This concludes the list of the telegrams and despatobes received from the Secretary of State upon subjects connected with the abnormal condition of affairs brought about by the war. It may be convenient to summarize concisely what has been set forth in detail above, and to add some brief notes regarding a few matters not mentioned in the telegrams and despatches.

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STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.

All the necessary

Outbreak of War; Food Supplies and Prices.-The news of the outbreak of war was received by the natives with Oriental imperturbability. arrangements and dispositions under the defence scheme were in readiness, and the absence of any excitement on the part of the civil or military authorities had a good effect. There was a wholly unnecessary tendency to lay in large supplies of food- stuffs, but this was checked speedily-and so effectually that there has not been the slightest trouble since, and it was never necessary to fix selling prices. The satis- factory state of the food supplies is due to the fact that the rice trade route from Siam has not been interrupted. The presence of a German cruiser in the vicinity of that route would have had a very serious effect upon the local food supply.

The Colony's Loyalty.-Upon the outbreak of war, all sections of the Colony testified their loyalty to His Majesty. There is, so far as is known, no disloyalty amongst any minority, however small, of any Asiatic nation in the Colony. The The same Straits-born Chinese are as truly loyal as the Malays and Indians. loyalty has been exhibited both in the Federated, and the unfederated, Malay States. The native officers and men of the Malay States Guides unanimously volunteered for active service at the front. The Sultan of Johore put the whole of his forces A part of this force is (artillery and infantry) at the disposal of the Governor. now serving in Singapore.

Trade. Trade was at a standstill for some days after the outbreak of war. Both the bankers and the merchants kept their heads, however, and instead of taking panic, wisely did as little as possible until they could feel their way.

Banks.The banks were in an awkward position for some little time. Many of them had a larger amount of their money in the form of "bills," and a limited amount in currency notes or coin. The Currency Commissioners were prepared to buy gold in London, or in Singapore, from them, in exchange for local currency, but, owing partly to the difficulty of effecting telegraphic transfers, this help was but little used by the banks A run on the Chinese Commercial Bank made it neces- sary for it to close its doors temporarily, pending an investigation of its financial position by the Government. It was found to be solvent, and, with a loan of $400,000. from the Government and another $400,000 raised by the shareholders, is now carrying on its business as usual again.

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Local Distress.-There is in the Colony a certain amount of local distress, which is the inevitable result of bad trade, hard times, and general diminution of work. Up to the present it has not been advisable to take any action, under the "Secret Order in Council, to stop the issue of distress warrants or to postpone the effects of judgments of Court.

Moratorium.-Neither the merchants nor the bankers desired to moratorium introduced in the Colony.

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Purchase of Tin. The policy of the Federated Malay States Government in purchasing tin, in the absence of any other purchaser, has had a good effect in the Colony in keeping open the smelting works of the Straits Trading Company. There are no tin mines in the Colony itself.

Assistance to Rubber Estates.-The Government advanced $50,000 to the rubber planters of Malacca, in order to enable them to keep their labour force together. The administration of the fund was in the hands of a committee of planters. A further $100,000 was promised, if necessary, but was not required. Similar assistance on a smaller scale was afforded to the planters in the Dindings. No help was required by the rubber planters in Singapore, Penang, or Province Wellesley.

Repatriation of Unemployed.—In order to obviate the difficulties which would inevitably result from the presence in the Colony of a large number of persons out of employment, it was considered advisable to offer free passages to their homes in India and to China to all destitute persons. The Federated Malay States, Johore, Kedah, and Kelantan adopted a similar policy, which is still being carried out.

Prohibition of Immigration.—At the same time the immigration of third-class passengers from China and Madras was prohibited. Precautionary measures were dumping their destitute taken to prevent the neighbouring countries from “ Chinese upon the Colony.

Prizes and Prize Courts.-Four German steamers were taken as prizes, and Three, the Sandakan," "Chow Tai," and brought before the Prize Court.

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